


The Dance

by EleanorSmith



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Asexual Alastor (Hazbin Hotel), Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, Dancing, Hurt, Lots of Hurt, Much hurt, bad descriptions of dancing because i don't dance, here's a huge dollop of pain and hurt, hey it's my oc again, no proofing we die like men, so much hurt i actually made myself cry while writing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:33:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26658220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EleanorSmith/pseuds/EleanorSmith
Summary: Our time is shortWe're faced againstThe coming warWe cannot winSo stay a bitDance with meStay a bitBe with meOur lives differRun parallelAlmost like a mirrorLike a distant echoStay with meFor a little whilePretend with mePlease, for a whileJust for tonightJust for a little whileJust for tonightThe cost is but a smile
Relationships: Alastor (Hazbin Hotel) & Original Character(s)
Kudos: 3





	The Dance

**Author's Note:**

> writer hurt herself in confusion

She always took an hour of time to herself in the dining hall when it was empty. Alastor had to give Charlie credit for putting it together and keeping it maintained. It was grandiose, to say the least.

He assumed that was why Bellhop went there, to be reminded of a time now passed. A room elegant enough for thespians and dances. A melancholy feeling swept into his chest, and dissipated as quickly. No time for such thoughts. Today, he was to find out what exactly she did with that hour.

Perhaps he should endeavor to not have any expectations met, or have expectations at all when dealing with this woman? Everything she did was so out-of-character to him, since her personality seemed straight forward. But then she did something so out of left field he wonders if he can even read her at all.

What he had expected was some sort of modern day tribute to Dadaism or something that would irritate him to the core. He hadn't expected the soft tune of a waltz to drift from beyond the threshold as he quietly opened the door.

The room was dim with only a few lamps turned on, tables pushed to the walls, and in the center she danced alone with an invisible partner, lost in the medley playing from an shell-speaker vinyl player. The pang of nostalgia hit him once more as he carefully entered the room without a sound and shut the door behind him, watching the sight from the shadows.

Her steps as she swept across the floor impeccably in time with the beat almost cast an illusion of her in another time, a ballgown drifting lazily around her legs. She moved so assuredly with the rise and falls and swells of the music, her eye shut as she brilliantly guided herself across the floor. For a moment he let himself get lost in the display.

Until she drifted about five feet from him as the part of this particular dance came to a brief pause. It would pick back up in a moment, and she stood there, without a partner, a breath heaving as she waited for the tune to resume. He took three quick and silent steps and placed his left hand just above her hip and joined her right hand with his.

What sort of gentleman would he be to deny a lady of a dance partner?

Her eye snapped open and she gazed into his smiling ones. The music swelled. And they stepped.

Across the room they spun and twirled to the music, step by step, unwavering, their gazes never breaking. Hers was scrutinizing, but amused. She was gauging him, undoubtedly. His smile widened at what she could be thinking.

The song drifted slowly to a close and they stopped. He removed his hands from her and bowed. In his peripheral, he watched her curtsy gracefully--a task made quite difficult in dress slacks.

"Thank you, my dear lady, for allowing me to dance with you!" He said, straightening from his bow. She stood as well, her hands folding in front of her as they always did.

"I was not expecting a partner in my solitude, Alastor. But, I am grateful for the dance." Her words were careful.

"Perhaps you'd humor me with another? Good company and dancing always puts me in a good humor."

Her eye narrowed in thought at him and he watched a twitch at the end of her lip.

"Very well. Do pick a good song."

"Only the best, my dear!"

He picked a quicker tune this time, something that he used to play all the time back home. The hope he would catch her off-guard with it was quashed as he approached her for the dance and she fell perfectly in step with him. Interesting. He was certain she had died before him.

He would twirl her out and dip her and she seemed so unfazed by his maneuvering and it only deepened his desire to throw her off. And then she spun around him and met back with him face-to-face.  
It was exhilarating. Even if he can't get under her skin, this was the most fun he had partaken in years.

And she was an enigma! She could keep up with him, wasn't at all perturbed by his prodding, would even laugh at some of the darker things he said. He could almost consider her an equal! Almost.

The up swell came and he dipped her once more before the song truly ended. They stopped when he twirled her out and both their arms extended. And they stood there. There was a lighter look on her face as her chest heaved great breaths.

"You are an atrocious dance partner, forcing me to move that quickly out of spite." She said between breaths, reeling herself back towards him and letting his hand go, straightening her sleeves.

"Needed to make sure you could keep up, darling." He smiled, keeping his gaze on her. That earned him a bark of a laugh.

"I could out pace you and then some," She looked up at him with a smirk. It looked so awkward on her ever frowning visage, but he found his chest filled with pride knowing he was the one who got her to do so. "Perhaps you would humor me with a slow dance, to wind down?" She asked, her hands digging into the small of back, massaging the pain from exertion, no doubt.

"As the lady wishes, of course." He bowed to her. Her hand lifted and her finger pointed to the vinyl player, a black square shooting from the tip and the player gave out a scratch before playing a slow tune. Slow swing. Brass. He offered his hand and she took it, then moved her hand to rest on his shoulder, and then the other. His own hands found her waist and they started to slow step.

The tune was generic and he really couldn't place who it could be performing it, which struck him as odd. Bell was watching him carefully as she caught her breath. And they danced. Step by step. And he watched her. Step by step.

And the tone of her look changed to something sad before breaking eye contact. A singer came on, female. Her words were that of a sad love story. It was not a song her recognized, but it was a tone he did. He knew many songs like this one. Somber. Melancholy. Ache. Longing. A tale never meant to be.

She had drifted closer and her head now rested on his shoulder, arms now lazily hanging across his shoulders and off his back. His own had met themselves at the small of her back and crossed. The two of them were flush at the chest. His chin rested against the top of her head.

There was something in his chest. Something that was tight and hurt and ached. He no longer smiled in full, but he could still feel it stretching his face in a thin line. A sad smile.

Melancholy.

Step by step.

"Alastor?" Her voice was quiet and he hummed a response. "Would you pretend with me, just for a little while? Just for right now?"

He was silent as the melancholy spread like fire through him, threatening to break him. Chaos tore through his mind, conflicting thoughts which he had to force down to keep his composure. He wanted none of that right now. This moment, right here. This moment was too much, too perfect for it to be muddied by his internal conflict. No, this would be something he would keep. He was the Radio Demon. He was a selfish man. This was his and not one of his games.

"Of course," He murmured into her hair. "Just for right now."


End file.
